Cellulose-ester composition and method of making the same



UNITED STATES PATENT-onion.

PAUL C. SEEL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EASTMAN KODAK COMPANYor nocnns'rnn, new YORK, A conroaarron or new YORK.

GEI'L'ULOSE-ESTER COMPOSITION AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME.

110 Drawing.

.To all whom it may concern:

' zen of the United States of America, residing at Rochester, in thecounty of Monroe and State of New York,- have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Cellulose-Ester-Compositions and Methods ofMaking the Same, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact-specification.

This invention relates to a new composition of matter and method ofmaking the same, in which a cellulosic compound is combined or mixedwith other substances so that the resulting product can beadvantageously used in the plastic and analogous arts, such for instanceas sheet or film manufacture and varnishmanufacturen One object of myinvention is to provide a composition of matter, the infiammability" ofwhich is reduced to an important extent so that it becomes relatively.safe in use. Another object is to provide a composition which may bemade into permanently transparent strong and flexible sheets or films ofdesired thinness, that are substantially waterproof, are unaifected byordinary photographic fluids, and possess the desired roperties of asupport for sensitive, p otographic coatings. Another object 0t myinvention is to produce acomposition of matter capable of easymanipulation in the plastic and film making, or varnish making or alliedarts; which will not injure or be injured by the substances with whichit is associated during manufacture, storage, or use. Still" anotherobject of my invention is to provide a process for compounding suchcomposition of matter. Further objects will hereinafter appear.

I have discovered that a composltion of matter having the desirablequalities hereinabove enumerated can be obtained by mixing orcompounding a cellulose ester, like cellulose acetate, with chlorinsubstitution products of the carbopolycyclic compounds or differentlyexpressed chlornucleo substitution products of the hydrocarbons G H andtheir homologues, where n is 5 or more, such as chlorinated naphthalenesor anthracenes, which are only slightly volatile or non volatile atordinary temperatures. In the preferred species oi: my invention Iselect the non-inflammable bodies.

This compounding is "best per- Specification of Letters Patent. Pate t dJ 8, 1920 Application filed February 7, 1918. Serial No. 215,897.

formed by mixing the acetyl cellulose and the chlorinated compounds witha solvent common to both, such as acetone. Bodies of slight volatility,which enhance the plasticityor flexibility, may also be present,

such, for example, as the aliphatic alcohols of more than two carbonatoms likebutyl alcohol or fusel oil.

The volatility of the chlorinated com-- pound should be only slight,after its incorporation in my com osition, so that the loss of the smallquantlty, which might be volatilized under conditions prevailing duringits use and during the desired life of the film, w1ll not make thelatter unserviceable. As applied to these compounds the term noninflammable means,'-of I course, only practical ,noninflammability, thechlori nated bodies themselves not acting normally topsopagatecombustion therein but rather being flame-resisting. They impart thisquality to avery useful degree to the composition in which I incorporatethem.

The following substances'may be mentloned as two typical examples of thechlorinated carbocyclic compounds, which I can employ in exerclsing myinvention. One of 7 them is an almost colorless oily liquid consistingprincipally of, alpha-monochloronaphthalene but containing small amountsof more highly chlorinated derivatives. It boils between 242 C. and 290(1., the bulk passing over between 250 C. and 275 The'other is atranslucent waxy'crystalline body consisting of amixture of higherchlorinated naphthalenes, chiefly tetrachloronaphthalenes.

It has a boiling-range of 310C. to 340 C. Both .of them are practicallynon-inflammable, the waxy body bein especially so.

n car'rymg out one illustration of myinvention I incorporate in 90 partsof acetone, 2

20 to 30"'parts of cellulose acetate (of the acetone-soluble species) 4to 7 parts of the oily chlorinated naphthalene substance men-o tionedhereinabove, and. 4 to 7 parts of butyl alcohol or fusel' oil. Theingredients are vmixed to form a homogeneous solution or flowable massand filtered if desired.

Another example of my invention coniprises incorporating in 90 parts ofacetone, 20 to 30 parts of acetone-soluble cellulose acetate, 4 to 7parts of the waxy. chlorinated naphthalene substance described above,andacetate in the second illustration is also 4 to 7 parts of butyl"alcohol-or fusel oil, the wax and the alcohol or .fusel oil being mixedwith 8 to 14 parts of amyl acetate before =being addedto the acetone.The in.- gredients are mixed thoroughly until a ho-.

mogeneoussolution or flowable mass results, a

which maybe filtered if desired. The butyl alcohol mentioned in theabove examples may be any-o f the isomers comprised under that'broadterm or a.--mixture thereof, the degree of purity being thatpresent in the ordinary-:commercial forms.

Both offithese solutions are sufliclently thick and viscoustobe-properly flowed durin g'sheet or manufacture, the acetonevolatilizin-g, but not-too rapidly toim pair the product. The-smallamount of amyl volatile. The resulting. films containing the-otherunvolatilized ingredients are so so stable thatthey do not liberatechlorin or.

lIlJITI'B metalor'other parts with which they come in contact duringmanufacture and moreover do iiotnchemic-a-lly're-act with orinjure-theother bodies that they are associated with in the solution orfilm.

My experiments show that-the chlorinated carbocyclie compounds may alsobe usefully combined with-any-of the other available cellulose esters,like'cellulose nitrate. For instance,-I may add either the oil or waxdescribed hereinabovertoamixture containing cellulose "nitrate,-asolvent such as-aceton-e and methyl alcohol and small amounts ofsubstances like camiphor, fusel oil or butyl alcohol of very-smallvolatility. The wax is ordinarily dissolved in amyl acetate-before beingadded to 'the -mixture. For a fuller description of this cellulosenitrate species of myinvention, reference should be made to myco-pending application, Serial N 0. 215,899, filed of even dateherewith.

While I have hereinabove disclosed certain compositions and processes byway of example, my invention is not limited thereto nor to theproportions given-therein, my experiments indicating that theproportions may be widely varied from those given and equivalentsubstances may be substituted without departing from the principle of myinventiona-s defined in the appended claims. It will be noted that theabove advantages are obtained in spite of the fact that my compositionsare substantially free from camphor. I

Having thus described my invention what 4. A composition of mattercom-prising cellulose acetate, a chlorin substitution product ofnaphthalene, a solvent common to both and butyl alcohol. r 5. Acomposition of matter. comprising cellulose acetate, a chlorinsubstitution *prodnot of naphthalene, i acetone, and butyl alcohol.

6. Acorn-position of matter comprising parts of acetone, 20 :to 30 partsof acetonesoluble cellulose acetate, 4 to 7 parts of an oily chlorinatednaphthalene derivative, boiling between 242 and 290 0., and .com posedprincipally of ,monoch loronaphthalene, and l to 7 parts ofbutyl'alcohol.

7. A composition of matter comprisingcellulose acetateand a chlor-nucleosubstitution-product: of the hydrocarbons (3 11, +3 anditheirhomologues.

8. A composition of matter comprising cellulose acetate, a chlor-nucleosubstitution product of the hydrocarbons (l H and their homologues, anda solvent common to both. 1

9. A composition of matter comprising cellulose acetate, a chlor-nucleosubstitution product of the hydrocarbons O H and their homologues, andacetone.

10. As an article of manufacture, a sheet of deposited or flowedcellulose acetate containing a chlor-nucleo substitution product of thehydrocarbons Gg H and their homologues. l

11. As a newarticle of manufacture, a sheetofdeposited or flowedcellulose acetate containing achlor-nucleo substitution product' of thehydrocarbons (l H andtheir homologues, and an organ'icbody of onlyslight volatility which enhances the flexibility ofthe sheet. v

12. A composition .of matter comprising cellulose. acetate, achlor-nucleo substitution product of the hydrocarbons C H and theirhomologues, and an organic body of only slight volatility which enhancesthe plasticity and fiexibility'of the composition.

13. A composition of matter comprising cellulose acetate, 21chlor-nucleo substitution product of the hydrocarbons C H and theirhomologues, and an aliphatic alcohol of only slight Volatility havingmore than two carbon atoms.

14. The process of making a composition of matter of only smallinfiammability, which comprises combining cellulose acetate and achlorinsubstitution product of naphthalene by the use of acetone.

15. The process of making a composition of matter of only smallinfi'ammability Which comprises combining cellulose acetate and achlorin substitution product of naphthalene by the use of acetone andbutyl alcohol.

16. The process of making :a composition of matter of only smallinfiammability which comprises combining cellulose acetate and achlor-nucleo substitution product of the hydrocarbons C H and theirhomologues PAUL o. SEEL;

